What do you think?
The Guardian
Winter has crippled the nation of Riyen and Hawthorne has made moves to take over the city for his own mysterious purposes. When Rodge and Janelle arrive in Angapo they find that war has broken out. With Anissa missing and no way to contact her, they will have to formulate their own plan to get back to Riyen and stop Hawthorne.
Meanwhile, Anissa and Carson find themselves the leaders of a new rebellion against an enemy much greater than Hawthorne. Battling their own brokenness and conflicting desires, their search for answers seems to uncover more obstacles. As events unravel, each of them will have to decide how much they are willing to sacrifice to save the Empire.
The Lost Empire Series:
The Traveler
Lost Empire Short Stories Volume 1
The Citizen
The Guardian
Meanwhile, Anissa and Carson find themselves the leaders of a new rebellion against an enemy much greater than Hawthorne. Battling their own brokenness and conflicting desires, their search for answers seems to uncover more obstacles. As events unravel, each of them will have to decide how much they are willing to sacrifice to save the Empire.
The Lost Empire Series:
The Traveler
Lost Empire Short Stories Volume 1
The Citizen
The Guardian
344 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2020
About the author
E.B. Dawson
37 books145 followersBorn and raised in Southeast Asia, I have lived in four different countries and three different states. I have an M.A. in Philosophy and am an award winning author of science fiction and fantasy.
I adore reading. But only good books.
I like cooking for people that I love. Sometimes I like doing yoga. I used to crochet, but I've kind of given up on it (my 10-year-old niece is already way better than I'll ever be). I am learning German and Latin as my 3rd and 4th languages.
I adore reading. But only good books.
I like cooking for people that I love. Sometimes I like doing yoga. I used to crochet, but I've kind of given up on it (my 10-year-old niece is already way better than I'll ever be). I am learning German and Latin as my 3rd and 4th languages.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 9, 2019
Before I dive into my review, can I just say how much I like the new covers for this series? They're beautiful and feel so much more reflective of what the story is about.
Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about this book. The Guardian is the third installment of Dawson's Lost Empire trilogy and sees Anissa, Carson, and the others thrust into a fight where the fate of multiple worlds is at stake. The risks involved are higher than ever, and the characters must dig deep down to resolve not only the outer conflict, but to fight their internal conflicts as well.
There are a lot of moving pieces and characters here, and I sometimes had a hard time keeping track of who was doing what and why they were doing it. By the end, however, everything came together in a way that provided a heartfelt and bittersweet resolution to the story. I especially loved seeing how Carson, Anissa, and Mani's roles in the story shifted and grew as they grew closer to each other and became a family. Dawson pulls no punches in the things her characters must endure in pursuit of their goal, but I love an emotional, bittersweet ending, so I appreciated that. And on a somewhat unrelated note, I also really loved learning more about SHARR, Anissa's passive-aggressive, AI house. I've always loved SHARR and it was cool to finally understand how and why it came to be what it is.
This series is a unique brand of fantasy that isn't quite like anything I've read before. It raises interesting questions with no easy answers that will leave you thinking about your own place in the world.
Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about this book. The Guardian is the third installment of Dawson's Lost Empire trilogy and sees Anissa, Carson, and the others thrust into a fight where the fate of multiple worlds is at stake. The risks involved are higher than ever, and the characters must dig deep down to resolve not only the outer conflict, but to fight their internal conflicts as well.
There are a lot of moving pieces and characters here, and I sometimes had a hard time keeping track of who was doing what and why they were doing it. By the end, however, everything came together in a way that provided a heartfelt and bittersweet resolution to the story. I especially loved seeing how Carson, Anissa, and Mani's roles in the story shifted and grew as they grew closer to each other and became a family. Dawson pulls no punches in the things her characters must endure in pursuit of their goal, but I love an emotional, bittersweet ending, so I appreciated that. And on a somewhat unrelated note, I also really loved learning more about SHARR, Anissa's passive-aggressive, AI house. I've always loved SHARR and it was cool to finally understand how and why it came to be what it is.
This series is a unique brand of fantasy that isn't quite like anything I've read before. It raises interesting questions with no easy answers that will leave you thinking about your own place in the world.
February 20, 2023
A strong conclusion to the Lost Empire trilogy! It was engaging and always kept a good pace so that, before I knew it, I was reaching the end. I wanted more, but was happy with what I got. Well...not completely "happy". (Because of certain events that will remain unmentioned in this review. 😢)
Some of the characters felt a little brushed aside in this one. I know it's hard to fit everybody into the climax when there's a large cast of characters, but it was slightly disappointing. On the other hand, I loved some of the new concepts that were introduced in the plot. And I still REALLY love the idea of the different worlds fitting together! I just want to know more about the worlds...
Some of the characters felt a little brushed aside in this one. I know it's hard to fit everybody into the climax when there's a large cast of characters, but it was slightly disappointing. On the other hand, I loved some of the new concepts that were introduced in the plot. And I still REALLY love the idea of the different worlds fitting together! I just want to know more about the worlds...
October 8, 2019
This trilogy is absolutely beautiful. The characters are like my best friends. Angapo feels like home. The empire is visually stunning. And the themes addressed are close to my heart.
This book is a stunning ending to the trilogy. The themes of family, belonging, and fighting the good fight are strung through the entire narrative. The world is gorgeous, and woven together with skill and imagination. It is 100% worth the read.
This book is a stunning ending to the trilogy. The themes of family, belonging, and fighting the good fight are strung through the entire narrative. The world is gorgeous, and woven together with skill and imagination. It is 100% worth the read.
October 6, 2019
"The Guardian" has all the plot twists, and alll the feels. I'm gonna be honest with you, I nearly cried.
As a member of EB Dawson's "street team," I received an advanced digital copy of this book to review. It is an epic ending to an awesome trilogy that I can't believe is over.
One of my favorite things about this story is the characters. Carson and Nafi and Zanora and Perse all have their own intriguing motivations that make them feel so real. Anissa, Natasha, Travis, Wynn and Janelle are all strong female characters who have different kinds of strengths. Anissa and Travis are warriors. Natasha and Wynn are both very mothering characters. And Janelle has been through so much, but she keeps going. It's clear that they're all too real to the author to fall into the old stereotypes for female characters (the same goes for Carson and the other male characters, too). The rich character development in this book (and the whole series, for that matter) is refreshing after all the stereotypes and weak character development out there nowadays.
In fact, that's another of my favorite things about this series. Dawson continually takes tropes and cliches and turns them on their head, which makes for an original and enthralling story that constantly surprised me.
And then the third of my favorite things about "The Guardian" is the world building. From the black mountains of Riyen to the colorful jungles of Angapo to the golden seas of Palera, all of the settings in this book are stunning and unique. And the different lands all have their own cultures and traditions and ways of doing things. There was something new and exciting around every corner (or...page turn. You know what I mean.)
However, I did have a few issues with "The Guardian." The writing in this book was much better than that of the first two in this series, but I still felt like she could have done better. In between her beautiful descriptions and brilliant turns of phrase were grammatical errors, typos, and awkward sentences. Someone "eyed her through narrow eyes," and the word "massive" was used three times in one paragraph. And then there were several little things like "I'm only repeated what I have heard." I think EB Dawson needs a proofreader.
Also, there were several occasions on which I felt like she skipped over things, or dropped things on us unexpectedly. She never told us that the third world was called Palera, she just started calling it that. She skimmed over the development of certain characters and plot points that needed more depth. And for some reason, besides Carson panting some and Anissa's ears popping, no one was affected by the altitude either time that they climbed some very tall (and I mean very tall) mountains. I would think someone would have gotten altitude sickness.
But overall, "The Guardian" is an excellent book. The ending is beautiful. The characters are strong, but flawed as well. The world building is rich and unique. The story is twisty, and enthralling, and so meaningful (all the feels). E.B. Dawson really is a brilliant writer, though maybe not as good of an editor.
I would very much recommend "The Guardian" if you love fantasy or sci-fi, or just if you like good books that aren't afraid to be unique. But read "The Traveler" and "The Citizen" first. This isn't the kind of series that you can just jump into at the end. Starting at "The Guardian" would be like walking into a theater two-thirds of the way through a movie: You might be able to get the gist of what's going on, but you would be missing important plot and character details that are essential to the meaning of the story. And trust me, you want that meaning. This is a story worth reading and rereading.
As a member of EB Dawson's "street team," I received an advanced digital copy of this book to review. It is an epic ending to an awesome trilogy that I can't believe is over.
One of my favorite things about this story is the characters. Carson and Nafi and Zanora and Perse all have their own intriguing motivations that make them feel so real. Anissa, Natasha, Travis, Wynn and Janelle are all strong female characters who have different kinds of strengths. Anissa and Travis are warriors. Natasha and Wynn are both very mothering characters. And Janelle has been through so much, but she keeps going. It's clear that they're all too real to the author to fall into the old stereotypes for female characters (the same goes for Carson and the other male characters, too). The rich character development in this book (and the whole series, for that matter) is refreshing after all the stereotypes and weak character development out there nowadays.
In fact, that's another of my favorite things about this series. Dawson continually takes tropes and cliches and turns them on their head, which makes for an original and enthralling story that constantly surprised me.
And then the third of my favorite things about "The Guardian" is the world building. From the black mountains of Riyen to the colorful jungles of Angapo to the golden seas of Palera, all of the settings in this book are stunning and unique. And the different lands all have their own cultures and traditions and ways of doing things. There was something new and exciting around every corner (or...page turn. You know what I mean.)
However, I did have a few issues with "The Guardian." The writing in this book was much better than that of the first two in this series, but I still felt like she could have done better. In between her beautiful descriptions and brilliant turns of phrase were grammatical errors, typos, and awkward sentences. Someone "eyed her through narrow eyes," and the word "massive" was used three times in one paragraph. And then there were several little things like "I'm only repeated what I have heard." I think EB Dawson needs a proofreader.
Also, there were several occasions on which I felt like she skipped over things, or dropped things on us unexpectedly. She never told us that the third world was called Palera, she just started calling it that. She skimmed over the development of certain characters and plot points that needed more depth. And for some reason, besides Carson panting some and Anissa's ears popping, no one was affected by the altitude either time that they climbed some very tall (and I mean very tall) mountains. I would think someone would have gotten altitude sickness.
But overall, "The Guardian" is an excellent book. The ending is beautiful. The characters are strong, but flawed as well. The world building is rich and unique. The story is twisty, and enthralling, and so meaningful (all the feels). E.B. Dawson really is a brilliant writer, though maybe not as good of an editor.
I would very much recommend "The Guardian" if you love fantasy or sci-fi, or just if you like good books that aren't afraid to be unique. But read "The Traveler" and "The Citizen" first. This isn't the kind of series that you can just jump into at the end. Starting at "The Guardian" would be like walking into a theater two-thirds of the way through a movie: You might be able to get the gist of what's going on, but you would be missing important plot and character details that are essential to the meaning of the story. And trust me, you want that meaning. This is a story worth reading and rereading.
October 21, 2019
Finally reviewing 2 months late.
Okay. This series is absolutely amazing. I am going to try to express my thoughts without any spoilers, but I seriously need to reread the whole series and bask in its beauty.
Dawson continues to build the worlds introduced in The Traveler and The Citizen, and she does so by adding still more complexity and beauty not just to the land but to the people. Nothing is ever quite as I expect it to be, in the absolute best way. I want to travel everywhere in this universe and see all the things and meet all the people.
Thematically, this book ratchets up tensions that have been growing throughout the series and weaves a beautiful, heartbreaking, hopeful tale of healing worlds that have generations of animosity toward each other. It gives me hope for our world and challenges me to likewise be an agent of reconciliation.
All the characters are back in play in this book, and the depths that had been hinted at in Traveler and Citizen shine gloriously when they're fighting together for a common goal.
The ending. Oh, the ending. It is bitter-sweet to the fullest extent, and it is perfect. I still feel the ending in my soul, even months later, which is a true sign of a series well-ended.
Go read the Lost Empire trilogy. Go read all of it. It will change the way you see the world, give you new favorite characters, and fill your imagination with new places.
Okay. This series is absolutely amazing. I am going to try to express my thoughts without any spoilers, but I seriously need to reread the whole series and bask in its beauty.
Dawson continues to build the worlds introduced in The Traveler and The Citizen, and she does so by adding still more complexity and beauty not just to the land but to the people. Nothing is ever quite as I expect it to be, in the absolute best way. I want to travel everywhere in this universe and see all the things and meet all the people.
Thematically, this book ratchets up tensions that have been growing throughout the series and weaves a beautiful, heartbreaking, hopeful tale of healing worlds that have generations of animosity toward each other. It gives me hope for our world and challenges me to likewise be an agent of reconciliation.
All the characters are back in play in this book, and the depths that had been hinted at in Traveler and Citizen shine gloriously when they're fighting together for a common goal.
The ending. Oh, the ending. It is bitter-sweet to the fullest extent, and it is perfect. I still feel the ending in my soul, even months later, which is a true sign of a series well-ended.
Go read the Lost Empire trilogy. Go read all of it. It will change the way you see the world, give you new favorite characters, and fill your imagination with new places.
January 1, 2020
A very emotional end to an amazing series! There were quite a few moments that really hit me as a mom and the epilogue!!! Be ready to have some major feels as you read this final installment of the Lost Empire trilogy.
January 17, 2020
Stunning Ending
Excuse me while I go cry. That was an absolutely beautiful ending to a captivating trilogy. I'm so glad I read it.
Excuse me while I go cry. That was an absolutely beautiful ending to a captivating trilogy. I'm so glad I read it.
September 16, 2020
I didn't need my heart whole, really it's fine.... (in corner sobbing over this whole book but especially the last half)
December 31, 2019
I've been eagerly waiting for this book ever since finishing The Citizen, and I was not disappointed. This was an excellent conclusion to an excellent series!!
Okay, I love found families, and it's not a spoiler to say that Carson/Anissa/Mani had a bit of that dynamic going on earlier in the series (though Mani and Anissa were officially family). But the way that dynamic plays out in this book is my favorite thing ever.
The interactions between Carson and Anissa were also the best. I loved every conversation they had. I also really liked seeing Anissa and Travis's friendship in this book--basically, the character dynamics were wonderful.
I do agree with another reviewer that there should have been more editing, like the other Lost Empire books. I love the plot, story, and characters, but the writing itself could be much improved.
But the story!! The ending was appropriately bittersweet. Although a part of me just wants everyone to be happy, I thought that the ending was powerful and moving. I loved this series, and I'm sad to be done with the characters. But I'm so happy with how it concluded.
Okay, I love found families, and it's not a spoiler to say that Carson/Anissa/Mani had a bit of that dynamic going on earlier in the series (though Mani and Anissa were officially family). But the way that dynamic plays out in this book is my favorite thing ever.
The interactions between Carson and Anissa were also the best. I loved every conversation they had. I also really liked seeing Anissa and Travis's friendship in this book--basically, the character dynamics were wonderful.
I do agree with another reviewer that there should have been more editing, like the other Lost Empire books. I love the plot, story, and characters, but the writing itself could be much improved.
But the story!! The ending was appropriately bittersweet. Although a part of me just wants everyone to be happy, I thought that the ending was powerful and moving. I loved this series, and I'm sad to be done with the characters. But I'm so happy with how it concluded.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews